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Open logger 2021 champion Daniel Procter of Gisborne.
Baylys Beach, on north Kaipara’s west coast, hosted pumping surf conditions for competitors at the eighth annual Logger Heads surfing event.
With an almost non-existent swell forecasted at Mangawhai Heads, contest director Tony Baker made an 11th hour decision to change the venue.
He said the event, normally held in calmer east coast conditions, pushed the traditional longboard competition into new territory, with challenging waves.
“Gisborne’s Daryn McBride came off a nine-time winning streak of hometown events and showed true class, stomping some of the most critical nose-rides of the day,” Baker said.
“But it was current Surfing NZ national champion Daniel Procter who dominated the final affair, with superior wave selection and execution to win his maiden Logger Heads title.”
In the women’s division, Mangawhai Heads’ Jess Costello charged some of the largest waves of the day, surfing comfortably into the final. She battled with Sandy Bay’s Wini Paul, but ultimately Paul picked off “long clean walls” and demonstrated excellent footwork to take the win.
In the junior final, it was a close battle between Mangawhai’s Billy Whelan and Gisborne’s Geordie Sawyer. Judges had to decide a winner by countback and ultimately Whelan took the title for having surfed with power and precision.
This year, 45 contestants entered across three divisions. It was sponsored by Bammas Surf Shop, Threadbox, McLeods Brewery, Mangawhai Honey, Coastal E-Bikes Mangawhai and Brixton Australia/NZ.
